Boxoffice-December.20.1952

. . Proceeds
. . Janice
. . The
^AN FRANCISCO
/^erald C. Hardy of Fresno, president, reports
Hardy's Theatres has reassumed
the management of the Pulton Theatre in
Fresno. He said the Pulton Theatre Co.,
which took over the liouse in May with an
option to purchase, has decided not to exercise
the option. The theatre was closed
early in December and will remain closed,
according to Hardy, until further notice.
The city of Colusa still owns the Gem Theatre
building there, although it was advertised
for sale. No offers had been submitted
when the time came for opening bids. The
city purchased the building with the idea
of making it over into a city hall. The city
council decided that the time when funds
would be available for remodeling was too
far in the future and it would be wise to
sell the building and start over at some
later date on a new city
hall.
Fred Sears, Columbia director, was in town
preparing to shoot a film with a San Francisco
Chinatown background, but, according
to reports, his investigation brought only
confusion and his staff returned to Hollywood
where the scenes will be shot on a
sound stage . . . George O'Brien, former
Hollywood star, was in town. He plans a
movie comeback ... A local news columnist
reported Albert Warner of WB as stating
"There's nothing wrong with the movie business
that can't be cured by merely eliminating
one quarter of the theatres. Too many
of them for the amount of business, that's
all."
San Jose youngsters were admitted to a
THEATRE FOR SALE
In Colifornio, will be available February ^, 1953.
Good lease. Receipts exceptional. Books open.
Other interests.
$35,000 down to experienced exhibitor only.
Stote experience. Boxoffice, 4947.
Get them out of their
HEYWOOD-
i-
matinee at the Studio Theatre on donation
of one or more used toys for the annual
Toys for Joy campaign. Prizes ranging from
a tour of Moffett Field to a six-month free
pass to the Studio were awarded children
bringing the most toys in the best condition.
John Brunette is manager.
A giant balloon parade was held in San
Rafael as a Christmas present to the kids
of Marin county from the business, professional
and industrial people of San Rafael.
All boys and girls participating in the parade
were guests of Blumenfeld Theatres for a
party at the Rafael. The party was handled
by Al Goodwin, Marin county manager for
Blumenfeld .
of a one-night
Ocean Drive-In showing went to the Crescent
City Moose lodge.
Harry Graywood of the Walter G. Preddey
Co. returned to work following a bout with
the flu . . . Joe Rucker, NBC-TV cameraman,
was on the Row accepting congratulations
for his spectacular shots of the ship
sinking in the bay . . . Harold Atkinson, who
had been in the shop at NTS the last ten
years, died December 9.
. . .
Herman Wobber, 20th-Fox, celebrated 20
years with the organization at a gettogether
Arthur Barnett
Friday (12) . . . of the Rex Theatre, Oakland, was on the
Row Paramoimt held its Christmas
party
. . .
for employes and friends December
Warner Bros, will hold its annual
12 . . .
Christmas party December 24 . . . Norman
Moray, Warner short subject sales manager,
was in from New York for a few days en
route to Los Angeles The Sebastiani
Theatre at Sonoma has been taken over by
Bruce Prater . . . Leslie Fazeka^, Lyric, San
Jose, and C. J. Remington, Fair Oak, F^ir
Oak, were seen on the Row.
The Point Theatre at Hunters Point, a
Westland theatre, will be closed for an indefinite
period . Welch is the new
easy chairs at horn
BY GIVING EM MORE RELAXING
COMFORT IN YOUR THEATRE!
• Tailor-made, rocking chair comfort to
\/ suit the individual's exact wishes!
\ 'A luxurious theatre chair that can be
tilted to any pitch desired.
• HEYWOOD-WAKEFIELD AIR-FLO
CHAIRS command— and merit— a premium
price in your choicest locations.
V
B. F. SHEARER COMPANY
lOS ANOIIIS: IIM S»lk «i»tM loekiilii lui • PORTIANO: 1141 a ar Uttiiiii >l«ilii ISO
SAN FRANCISCO: 14] (fl«tii (iti lit Ulltertill I till • SiATUI: >]ll Sicinl Mi ill.tll 1241
switchboard girl at Republic . . . J. ]
Grainger, vice-president and general sali
manager for Republic, and Francis A. Bat<
man, western division manager, visiting M
San Jose's Burban
local exchange . . .
Theatre reopening December 10 with a ga)
affair and with Burt Kennerson, formi
manager, returning to his old post. Tne Bui
bank closed in July.
Along the Row last week were John Tei
rill of Orange Cove Theatre, Orosi, and Wl
lard Wagner, Antioch . Ocean Drive-ll
at Crescent City is closed . . . Edgar I
Weiss is now operating the Vista Theatij
at Rio Vista, a former Sunnymount hous
. . . Charles Pincus, city manager in Stock!
ton for Blumenfeld, has replaced Joe Huf.
who is temporarily retiring . . . The Roxj
in Oakland is scheduled to reopen short!
|
with "Limelight" . . . Tony Lopez of thi
E. I. Rubin Co. returned from a vacation.
The Telenews Theatre held a very sue
cessful screening of the TV Carmen trans
mission from New York Met. The theatre wa
sold out at $6 scale, all seats reserved. Al
though some critics criticized the picture
the theatre management stated that th
difficulties were in the transmission or at th
Met originating point. The Telenews wi
install a third-dimensional system this montl
Hugh Bruen of Whittier
Buys Industrial Tract
WHITTIER, CALIF.—A 38-acre industri?
tract near this community has been purchase
by Hugh W. Bruen, president of the Brue
Theatre Co., and engineering and architec
tural work has been launched to develop
portion of the property as a 950-car drive-ii
The ozoner is being designed by architec
J. Arthur Drielsma. Bruen also operates thi
Roxy, Whittier and Wardman theatres henl
Start on Awards Setup
HOLLYWOOD—Machinery is
being set i
motion by the Academy of Motion Pictup
Arts and Sciences in anticipation of its up
coming annual awards presentation event, t
be held there next March. Billy Wilder, producer-director-WTiter,
has been appoints
chairman for the honorary foreign languag'
film award committee, membership of whic:
includes Anne Baxter, W. M. Bishop, Addiso
Durland, William Feeder, William Gordoi,
Steve Goodman, Ely Levy, Luigi Lurasch
Walter Reisch, Carl Schaefer, Geoffrey Shur;
lock. King Vidor and Robert Vogel.
Diamond Film Planned
HOLLYWOOD—"The King of
Diamonds,
to be filmed in Technicolor on location at th
Kimberly diamond mines in South Africa, ha
been scheduled for 1953 production by th
Dudley Pictures Corp, It is being scriptei
and w'ill be produced by Carl Dudley.
Visit Son in Alaska
WAITSBLTRG, WASH.—The local theati.
clo.sed for a month Wednesday (171 when th
i
owners, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Peacock left fo
Anchorage, Alaska, to visit their son.
Adventure Novel to Screen
James Ramsey Ullman's adventure novel
•River of the Sun," will be scripted by Mlchae
Blankfort, for Columbia.
i
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t
BOXOFFICE :: December 20, 195.